Seen here at the southeast corner of Des Plaines Avenue and Roosevelt Road in west suburban Forest Park Illinois...is none other than a local Chicago area fast food favorite known as Portillo's Hot Dogs.

Known for their Italian Beef sandwiches, Cheeseburgers, Chilli and Hot Dogs, this chain started out many years ago as a little roadside hot dog stand wagon business in Villa Park Illinois.

During the 1980's...I made several visits to Potawatomi Park in far west suburban St. Charles Illinois with My Family.

A fun and popular seasonal attraction at Potawatomi Park, are the leisurely sightseeing boat crusies aboard the St. Charles Belled on the Fox River.

Although they are strictly cosmetic, the twin smoke stacks and rotating non powered free spinning paddle wheel add a tasteful yesteryear touch to this modern diesel powered sightseeing boat. A pleasant way to enjoy a weekend afternoon during the warm weather months.

This photo was taken at the boat landing, during a June 1984 Family visit.

I took this photo recently while passing through west suburban Riverside Illinois.

The classic former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad steam era train station at Riverside Illinois, is especially beautiful during the Spring and summer of any given year due to the abundance of well maintained plant life along the south walls of the depot.

I will be hosting My Chicagoland Railfan Photo Slideshow on Saturday, November 6th, 2010 at The Elmwood Park Public Library from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. The library is located at 1 Conti Parway Circle in near northwest suburban Elmwood Park Illinois.

I will be showing as an added bonus feature, a short musical photo slideshow I have put together entitled "Chicago Streetcar Memorys"If You were one of the many people who grew up in the city of Chicago Illinois prior to the end of CTA electric streetcar operations in June of 1958 or know someone who did...Then You will enjoy seeing these historic images of Chicago as it was.

This is Eddie K, Your host and photographer.If You enjoy photos of trains or other historic transportation subjects, or perhaps even local human interest topics about places and things around Chicago...then sit back and relax. I think that You will enjoying viewing My blogsite page.

This is Eddie K, Your host and photographer here at Eddie's Railfan Page. I will be hosting My Chicagoland Railfan Photo Slideshow on Saturday , September 25th 2010 from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM at The Franklin Park Public Library. The Library is located at 10311 West Grand Avenue, in near northwest suburban Franklin Park Illinois.

I will be showing as an added bonus feature...a short musical photo slideshow I had put together recently entitled "Chicago Streetcar Memorys".

If You were one of the many people who grew up in the city of Chicago Illinois prior to the end of CTA electric streetcar service in 1958, or know someone who actually did....Then You will enjoy seeing several vintage photos of Chicago as it once was, and set to historic period music to help set the mood as well.

We would absolutely love to hear some storys from the patrons on how it was like in Chicago back then as well at My show.

A trend in recent years inside commuter rail stations around Chicago, are the now common Expresso Coffee and light Snack Bar concession stand restaurant businesses.

The Soul Amici Express had opened up just recently, inside the old brick steam era Metra commuter rail station in west suburban Riverside illinois.

If You enjoy Gourmet Expresso Coffee, a pastry, perhaps a sandwich or even a refreshing Gelato ( Italian Style Ice Cream Dessert.)..then the Soul Amici Express is a great way to start Your workday commute, or just a great excuse to stop inside and say hello over an afternoon refreshment or two.

I spotted this now very rare late 1970's era photograph on the interner recently.

Seen here on a piggyback ( Truck trailer on train.) freight train at Thorndale Junction Pennsylvania, are five former 1930's era former Pennsylvania Railroad GG 1 electric locomotives.

These locomotives had spent their final years in operation hauling freight trains for Conrail, commuter trains for New Jersey Transit, and Amtrak passenger trains as well.

These 5 examples that are shown here, are working their last full year of electric powered freight train service under Conrail. 1979 was the year that Conrail had discontinued all electric freight train operations in the northeastern United States.

New Jersey Transit was the last operator of these classic locomotives, and retired theirs from commuter train service during the Fall of 1983.

Several of these have been preserved in Museums around the United States, including one at The Illinois Railway Museum in Union Illinois.

This heavilly weathered Western Pacific plug door box car, is viewed wearing what was proboubly te last paint and lettering scheme utilized by the former Western Pacific, prior to the merger acquisition and take over by the Union Pacific in 1982.

By the 1970's era, the Western Pacific had already discontinued using the Feather River Route logo, and began using a much simpler large WP instead.

The City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation has been upgrading their fleet of garbage trucks in recent times.

I photographed this brand new Autocar heavy duty model in a shning new coat of copper and light blue paint heading eastbound on Higgins Avenue near the intersection at Harlem on a beautiful summer day.

I photographed this digital live sound video on My way to work this past Monday morning.

It is now late August, and the morning sunrise is begining to happen just a little bit later now. With night time sky fading in to daybreak around 5:42 AM, this early morning Metra commuter local enroute to Chicago Union Station from Fox Lake Illinois...is viewed passing the Dewes Street railroad crossing in north suburban Glenview Illinois.

We are facing southwest at the West Lake Avenue railroad crossing in north suburban Glenview Illinois east of Phingsten Road.

This Union Pacific owned rail line, was originally owned and operated by the fallen flag predecessor railroad known as the Chicago & NorthWestern. This route is stil operated with left hand style running as did the C & N,W in recent years past.

This right of way, cuts through here diagonally. It is strictly for freight trains only, as it is a bypass route intended to keep heavy freight trains from tying up much needed commuter train traffic on the nearby Canadian National ex Milwaukee Road commuter north line to Fox Lake Illinois, and also on the nearby Union Pacific ex C & N,W north line to Kenosha Wisconsin.

Freight trains interchange on and off of this line at Northbrook for the former Milwaukee Road line. These Canadian Pacific trains are operated north of Northbrook. The Union Pacific trains I believe, interchange at Waukegan Illinois and head to points north.

The Wisconisn Electric Power Company's full and empty unit coal trains to and from their electrical generating power plant at Pleasant Prairie Wisconsin, pass through here over this line on an almost daily basis. The former Milwaukee Road line sees a lot of unit grain trains passing through here daily.

When it is finally lunch time...there is nothing like tasty, home cut french fries with that fast food order.

Bob O's Hot Dogs at 8258 West Irving Park Road in Chicago's Acacia Park neighborhood, is one of those unique little neighborhood hot dog stands on Chicago's northwest side that takes the time to do it.

I photographed this digital live sound video in late September of 2009.

We are facing east at the Oakton Street CTA Yellow line railroad crossing in north suburban Skokie Illinois. Seen here on an overcast evening around dusk, is a northbound Chicago Transit Authority yellow line / Skokie Swift route rapid transit train heading to the nearby Dempster Street terminal.

Prior to January of 1963, this was the Skokie Valley Mainline of the defunct Chicago, North Shore And Milwaukee electric interurban railroad.

This is Eddie K, Your host and photographer here at Eddie's Railfan Page.

On Saturday, September 25th, 2010 and also on Saturday, October 16th, 2010...I will be hosting My Chicagoland Railfan Photo Slideshow at the Franklin Park Public Library. The Library is located at 10311 West Grand Avenue in near northwest suburban Franklin Park Illinois.

I took this photo during a July 2009 visit to The Illinois Railway Museum in the town of Union Illinois.

A very welcome and refreshing treat on those hot summer days when visiting the museum during the operating season, are these wonderful Ice Cream desserts inside the museum's lunchroom concession stand diner.

The museum's concession stand operation has indeed come a long way, from the days of the quaint open air Central Avenue trolley loop station stand with a walk up window and picnic benches.

I took this photo during a July visit to north suburban Wilmette Illinois.

This lovely and very scenic area on a hill along the north branch of the Chicago River, is located along a winding road near the west side of the Sheridan Road overpass bridge, just west of the Wilmette Harbor.

We are facing north on Kostner Avenue near Howard Street, in north suburban Skokie Illinois. An eastbound Chicago Transit Authority yellow line train, is viewed passing the Kostner Avenue CTA railroad crossing. The CTA yellow line is also known as the Skokie Swift line.

The locomotive shown here, was originally used on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. This railroad was merged in to the 1968 formed Penn Central Railroad in the year of 1969.

The Penn Central, was created from the merger of the financially troubled Pennsylvania Railroad, and it's rival for many years known as The New York Central Railroad in the year of 1968. The Penn Central had suffered many financial difficulties in it's short corporate life from 1968 until 1976, and had declared bankruptcy as early as 1970. It lived on borrowed time and borrowed funds, until a United States Govorment aganecy under the late U.S President Gerald R. Ford created Conrail in the year of 1976.

This former New Haven, General Electric U-25B roadswitcher, was still wearing it's original early 1960's era New Haven color scheme in this 1970's era photograph. The large NH markings on the side of the hood, were merely painted over with black paint, while the NH on the nose had been replaced with a white PC logo.

Seen here is a classic American advertisement for Pepsi Cola from the year of 1953. I was always a fan of the old Pepsi Cola "Bottle Cap" logo Myself, as they were seen everywhere around Chicago when I was growing up during the 1960's and 70's in the Windy City.

I grew up in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood on the near southwest side of the city, and many of the little neighborhood side street Mom and Pop grocery stores and lunch counter diners had used the Bottle Cap logo on their business establishment signs.

On West 26th Street just east of South Central Park Avenue in My old neighborhood, there was a local Chinese Restaurant known as the Shanghai Chinese Restaurant. Inside their quaint dining room, they had a simular / possibly 1960's era Pepsi Cola advertisement like this featuring a Young Chinese lady with a slightly different hairs style and a black outfit...doing the same pose with a simular "Refresh without filling" advertising slogan.

This advertisement brought back many happy memorys of growing up in Chicago during the 1960's era for Me when I was a kid.

Hi everyone!Welcome aboard Eddie's Railfan Page from the city of Chicago Illinois.

I took this delicious and very appetizing photo Sunday evening, at Chicago's famous Red Apple polish Smorgasboard Restaurant at 6474 North Milwaukee Avenue.

My lovely Wife Cheryl, was getting tired of always eating hamburgers, Italian Beef sandwiches and Mexican cuisine constantly, and had a strong craving for some Ethnic Polish comfort food favorites, and sure enough...I did as well!

With hot , homemade and very flavorful entrees on the restaurant's buffet steam table....I was able to get My Potato Pancakes , Roast Turkey, Kielbasa, Beef Stroganoff and Kolaczkis fix.Mmmm! It was long overdue.

The Red Apple is located on North milwaukee Avenue, just a few blocks north of West Devon Avenue on Chicago's far northwest side.It is a few city blocks southeast of the border at northwest suburban Niles Illinois.

Seen here along North Milwaukee Avenue just north of the intersection at Greenwood Avenue, is the empty building formerly known as The Axel Roller Rink way back during the 1970's.

I only roller skated twice here with My family way back during the Autum of 1975, as My Mom and Stepfather had recently discovered another Axel Roller Rink location that was actually closer to get to in Norridge Illinois, just about 5 miles south of here.

Both Axel Roller Rinks brought Me happy memorys when I was a teenager back in the mid 1970's and very early 1980's. Most of My Axel Roller Rink visits were at the Norridge location on North Harlem Avenue back then.

It was fun for Me growing up as in Chicago back in the 1970's as a teenager.

Just recently, the former Niles Axel Roller Rink was a SYMS warehouse store that had closed recently.

A classic image of 1950's era EMD first generation GP-7 roadswitchers, are viewed double heading on a Western Pacific Railroad freight train at Milipitas California in the year of 1982.

Wearing what is proboubly the final Western Pacific color scheme introduced during the early 1970's, these two locomotives would soon become the property of the Union Pacific Railroad, as the U.P would absorb the old Western Pacific through merger before the year was over way back in 1982.

I photographed this digital live sound video after work, on Tuesday evening, March 9th, 2010.

It was a cold evening as the Winter season was begining to wind down. With snow and ice on the ground yet, a northbound Metra rush hour commuter train enroute to Fox Lake Illinois from Chicago Union Station, passes Me by at the Techny Road railroad crossing in north suburban Northbrook Illinois.

Although I was born too late to actually witness day to day freight and passenger trains powered by steam locomotives here in the greater Chicagoland area, there are a number of model railroad clubs in the area that help to satisfy the curiosity of it all in miniature.

I spotted this rare 1950's era color railroad photo on the internet recently.

One of many North American Class 1 railroads that was in a big hurry to dieselize their operations after World War 2, was the New York Central Railroad.

The NYC was a railroad that was fully comitted to modernization. This photo was taken in the city of Worcester Massachusettes possibly during the early to mid 1950's. The cab unit locomotive leading this train, was produced by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectedy New York USA.

It appears to be an ALCO model FA-1, wich were pretty much assigned to working on mainline freight trains. It is wearing the pre 1959 black with gray and white lightning stripes color scheme.

I was on My way home after clocking out of work for the night, and had to wait for a red traffic light to change to green at nearby Harlem Avenue and Glenview Road in north suburban Glenview Illinois.

The Glenview Dairy Bar is viewed just immediately after the exterior lights were turned on for the evening. This popular local soft serve roadside ice cream stand, has been serving the north shore since 1955.

It will take more than a mere threat of rain to stop these patrons from enjoying some soft serve ice cream on this humid summer evening.

Seen here at 303 President Street in far west suburban Wheaton Illinois, is the classic College Avenue passenger train station from the former Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad. Utilized today by Chicago's Metra commuter rail trains and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad.

This former Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad coal hopper car acquired through merger by the Union Pacific in 1995, is viewed still rolling around in 2010 wearing it's original paint scheme and reporting marks.

This car was photogra[hed in transit aboard an empty southbound Union Pacific unit coal train, at the West Lake Avenue railroad crossing in north suburban Glenview Illinois.

I spotted this classic 1964 Pontiac GTO muscle car parked on one of the many tree lined side streets in suburban Elmwood Park Illinois.

Although I am not in a financial position to purchase this classic 1960's era American muscle car from My own childhood gor Myself, I always enjoy seeing these at Custom car shows, or plaxws like the Volo Illinois Auto Museum.

welcome aboard Eddie's Railfan Page from the city of Chicago Illinois.

This photo was of Me, was taken last Friday night at Jacqueline's Lounge at the corner of West Diversey and North sayre Avenues.This is the place where I met My lovely Wife Cheryl 8 years ago.We just celebrated Our 4th Wedding Anniversary this past June.

One of My personal favorites amongst the various Rock and Roll oldies hit songs I grew up with....was the 1970 hit from the one hit wonder group known as the Edison Lighthouse known as "love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes".

2 years ago, I had the misfortune of losing My wonderful Aunt Rosemary who suffered a massive heart attack and died suddenly.My Aunt Rosemary was a wonderful and fun loving person, who was very much like the lady described in the song by The Edison Lighthouse.

I loved that song so much back when I was eight years old growing up in Chicago, that I can't help but dedicate it to the memory of My Aunt Rosemary Atkins today. She was a very sweet, fun loving and absolutely wonderful Auntie who inspired Me. She lived to be 81, and was always lots of fun!

Drive In Restaurants with car hop service were once very common throughout the greater Chicagoland area during the 1950's and 1960's Baby Boomer era, but had all but completely disappeared by the mid 1970's.

Superdawg Drive In at the intersection of North Milwaukee and West Devon Avenue was one of the rare ones that stayed with the program, and are still in business today as a popular local Chicago area drive in restaurant.

Superdawg had also just recently opened up a brand new location along Milwaukee Avenue, in far northwest suburban Wheeling Illinois.

Superdawg was also featured on the cable TV Food Network as well in recent times.

Even during the Wintertime, west suburban La Grange Illinois can be a beautiful place to visit.

I took this photo during a February 1986 visit to La Grange.

With plenty of hazy winter sunshine, moderate temperatures, a light breeze and an abundance of frequent train activity along the Burlington Northern 3 track Chicago to Aurora commuter mainline...It was an absolutely wonderful day to go railfanning.

I don't know about You, but I am always up for a good bowl of Chilli when My own taste buds beckon.

Although the Tamale was just a little bit on the small side, this was still a very tasty and satisfying after work delight for Me at Bob O's Hot Dogs at 8852 West Irving Park Road in Chicago's Acacia Park neighborhood.

We are looking through a chain link fence at the intersection of South Archer Avenue and West 47th Street in Chicago's Brighton Park neighborhood. Two BNSF Railway EMD roadswitchers, are seen idling on top of the hump at the former Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad's Corwith Yard on the southwest side of Chicago.

This is Eddie K, Your host and photographer here at Eddie's Railfan Page. I will be once again hosting My Chicagoland Railfan Photo Slideshow on Saturday, September 25th, 2010 from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM.....At the Franklin Park Public Library. The library is located at 10311 West Grand Avenue in near northwest suburban Franklin Park Illinois.

Aside from the photos and videos I will be showing, there will also be the playing of an added bonus feature entitled"Chicago Streetcar Memorys". This unique short musical photo slideshow set to authentic historic period music...will surely bring back happy memorys for anyone who may have grown up in Chicago prior to the end of CTA electric streetcar service in 1958.